'Palmer's going to become a Premier League legend'

Cole Palmer has been compared to Premier League legends Robin van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp following his record-breaking performance in Chelsea's 4-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Palmer became the FIRST player in Premier League history to score FOUR goals in the first half of a match, with his strikes coming in the 21st, 28th, 31st and 41st minutes at Stamford Bridge, spanning 19 minutes and 57 seconds.

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"He has got a bit of finesse, Bergkamp, Van Persie about him, and they weren't bad at all," former England and Arsenal forward Theo Walcott said.

"He is so gifted, he will have that awe around him so that players are afraid of him. If he continues like this, he is going to be a legend of the Premier League."

Palmer's third goal v Brighton

Bergkamp, a Premier League Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Premier League champion, made his Arsenal debut in 1995, seven years before Palmer was born and he acknowledged being likened to the brilliant Dutchman.

"[Bergkamp] is a legend of the Premier League but I didn't really watch him. He is a top player but thank you Theo [Walcott]."

Maresca praises "special" Palmer

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca also praised "special" Palmer and said his talent is there for everyone to see.

"He’s a special player, a simple guy, a humble guy. He doesn’t need to tell people how good he is because you can see it clearly," said Maresca

"When you score four goals it is a great performance. But I said to Cole he scored four, he could have scored two or three more, so it’s good that he continues to be hungry, ambitious."

Agreeing with Maresca, Palmer told BBC Radio 5 Live: "When I missed the first chance I was upset, but the way they played and how high the line was, we knew we would get more chances. I should have had five or six."

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, Palmer was asked by the media to pose to the camera with three fingers to use if he scored a hat-trick. Such is his confidence, he asked what if he scored four? So he held up four fingers instead!

Last season Palmer largely played on the right of Chelsea's attack, but operated as a No 10 more frequently towards the end of the campaign.

Since Maresca took charge, he has used the 22-year-old in that position for five of the last six league matches.

"I know Cole from many years ago," said Maresca. "I had him in my team already for one entire season with the Under-23s at Man City and then with the first team. The best thing he has is that the way he is today as a boy, he was exactly the same three or four years ago.

"He has got goals, assists, was voted the best player in the Premier League, but this doesn’t change the way he is. He’s a simple guy, a humble guy and for me this is the most important thing.

"We try to use Cole in that position [No 10] because probably for me that is his best position, but he can play as a fake nine, a nine, a winger, in the pocket in the way he is playing now.

"He can play in different positions because he is so good. The only thing I can say is that on the pitch is Cole’s best position!’

Like Maresca, Chelsea team-mate Jadon Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, knows what Palmer is capable of from their days as youngsters at Man City.

"When you have a player in your team like Cole Palmer, then anything is possible," said Sancho. "I’ve known Cole a long time, since our days together at City. I’ve always watched him and I always thought he would go on to be a great player. He’s showing that now at Chelsea.

"We see what he’s capable of each day in training, we see the quality he has and honestly, it’s no real surprise to me to see him score four goals."

Joining the elite

Palmer becomes only the fifth player to have scored four or more goals in one half in the Premier League, along with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jermain Defoe and Sergio Aguero, the latter doing so on two different occasions.

It was also the fastest ever hat-trick scored by a Chelsea player in the competition with three goals in nine minutes and 48 seconds.

Palmer's third Premier League hat-trick for the Blues is the joint-most for Chelsea, alongside Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Indeed Palmer's four goals against Everton in April means he is the second Chelsea player after Lampard to score four times in multiple matches for them, with the latter doing so versus Derby County and Aston Villa.

Palmer also became the ninth player to hit four goals in two or more Premier League matches, after Aguero, Lampard, Solskjaer, Dimitar Berbatov, Yakubu, Andrew Cole, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Penalty record in sight

Saturday's exploits in front of goal mean Palmer is closing in on another record.

The England international has scored his first 10 Premier League penalties, meaning he is now behind only Yaya Toure in the ranking of players who have netted the most spot-kicks while maintaining a 100 per cent conversion rate from 12 yards.

Most PL penalties scored without ever missing